Awakened! Hon,
by ZoeyBirddd
Summary: neferets crazy.Kalona is trapped. Zoey isfeeling more for kalona and wants to distract herself in stark o 0 Stevie rae and rephaim are fighting a war of their hearts, and eriks is realising his true feelings, R&R plz xxx
1. Chapter 1

**Awakened! My version, because, umm, P.C. cast is taking too long! Please leave a comment if you read it, let me know what's good and what's bad, thanks you beaudifulll h.o.n loverrss!**

**Kalona**

Kalona felt a sharp jolt a searing pain as he was thrown back into his body. With a shudder he remembered the events that, like a wave in a sea of hatred, had just crushed him yet again. Nyx, whom he loved beyond the capacity a mere mortal could withstand, had rejected his plea for forgiveness yet again. With a look of disgust on her face, she corrected her mistake, banishing his soul as well as his body from her realm forever.

After centuries apart, her hatred for him burned him as painfully as ever.

Instead of opening his eyes, he shut them tight so that all he could see were light spots against darkness. He let out a yell, thick with tears and the agony that burned through his body, and his heart, would Nyx ever forgive him?

"Is she dead?"

Without looking up, Kalona responded. "Neferet." He said. his eyes opened slowly and he saw her dark figure looming in the corner of the cold stone room which his body had been kept in during his venture to the other world.

"I assume your task is accomplished, your cry could only signal the death of little Zoey Redbird."

He could practically hear the sneer that he knew lay on her face, that face, enhanced by darkness to make her evermore terrifyingly beautiful. For a moment he wondered if he could ever lie to Neferet. He didn't worry about his own conscience being affected by lying to his loved one, oh no. His discretion lay in the fact that he sensed she would be able to sniff out a lie in seconds. When he didn't answer Neferet broke the silence again.

"Do not feel he loss my love, think of all that we shall achieve now that she is gone. The silly schoolgirl was never a match for the two of us. Although it does sadden me to admit that I did sense you had feelings for her, obviously those feelings weren't strong enough! How silly for her followers to expect her to return from the otherworld! A child! Hilarious really"

"She has done and yet I do not laugh" Kalona said, sitting up, grimacing with the pain it caused him. There was a slight pause in which Kalona did not regret his words, but smirked silently at the annoyance they had caused Neferet.

"What?" she shrieked. She marched toward where Kalona sat and slapped him hard across the face. Kalona immediately leapt up and threw her to the floor. Seething, and wings flexing, he looked down at her, her face betrayed shock and anger.

"Do not talk of A-ya as if she is a pathetic child!" he spat. "She above all others is chosen by Nyx to possess gifts greater than you can imagine!"

Neferet laughed high and piercing. Kalona was incredulous.

"Here we go again with Nyx" she said. "Forget her, my love. She does not care for you. You make yourself a fool by placing her on a pedestal. And Zoey, or A-ya as you insist on calling her – she will never love you, she was created to trap you"

Kalona still stood over her, panting. He felt strangely small in Neferet's presence. His shoulders slumped in submission, he looked down, remembering the sweet face of A-ya as it shifted and turned to clay just inches from his own.

Neferet began swirling the air around her, the darkness instantly responded, and she was lifted eerily to her feet by the sticky dark tendril she had summoned. She now blocked out the stream of light that flickered from the lantern just outside the chamber door. Kalona didn't look up but he sensed that she was glaring at him, waiting for an explanation.

"I tried." He began solemnly. "The human boy sensed my presence and led her to cover in Nyx's grove, I could not enter there.

He felt burning pain in his heart as he remembered how a broken Zoey had fled from him; he had never wanted to hurt her.

"I hid my identity and called to the human boy. I told him that if he stayed in the Otherworld then Zoey would gather herself together and she would stay with him, and that they would be happy together." His head seared as he remembered having felt so much guilt when he observed how Zoey and her human consort had interacted. She had truly loved him, and he had stolen this from her. The pain felt strangely more physical than emotional though.

"So what happened?" Neferet spat.

"Her warrior entered the otherworld, to protect her from me."

"James Stark" Neferet said, she grimaced and nodded as if she were agreeing "yes I should've taken his grief as a warning. And to think – he was one of my own! Carry on, my Erebus"

"The warrior warned the human of my intentions, he convinced him that moving on was what was best for Zoey"

Pain suddenly set his body on fire. He cried out. His hands turned to fists which he shoved against his head as if to stop it exploding. His wings tensed and writhed,. And then it was over. Neferet looked him over. "Quickly, explain to me, what next" she said.

Kalona gasped. "What is this pain that I feel?" he choked.

Neferet's eyes darkened to deep scarlet again, with a scowl she said "tell me what happened." Her voice was distorted, deepened by darkness.

"The human departed, I duelled with the warrior, Zoey pulled her soul back together, and I killed the warrior."

"Surely the second death would have ensured Zoey's staying in the otherworld!" Neferet cried. "her soul should not have recovered!"

Kalona shook his head grimly. "She said I owed her a life debt, and demanded that I revive the warrior, I refused, but-"

"But what?" snapped Neferet.

"Nyx appeared, she told me to revive him, and so I did. And then –"

"And then what my love?" Neferet's concern was not extended to Kalona's well-being, he knew.

"And then she banished my spirit as well as my body from her realm." He wrenched the words out of his gut through his teeth. His body gave another shudder of pain and he gasped out. "Neferet, do you know why I suffer this pain?"

She looked at him through narrowed eyes and said "so you're saying your not allowed in the otherworld." cocking her head to one side curiously. Kalona looked at her incredulously. "Neferet my queen! I am in pain, I ask you, do you know why?"

She erupted in rage "You are bound by darkness to stay in the otherworld until your task to kill Zoey redbird in completed you fool! I can see darkness's chains under your skin. You cannot be here! You cannot be there!" he yelled.

Kalona stepped into the stream of light and sure enough he could see darkness's chain as if the were pulsing veins underneath his skin. "I beg of you Tsi Sgili, remove these chains!"

"Sorry my love, I cannot, we swore by oath, it cannot be broken."

Another wave of pain sent Kalona to his knees.

"There is hope for you though" said Neferet. "While Zoey Redbird lives there is always the opportunity to destroy her." She said, laughing wickedly, she threw her head back, and the darkness she had been toying with absently seized the chance to slide into her mouth, instantly making her look swollen with its power. She threw her head back further and there was no doubt in Kalona's mind that she was absolutely, beautifully, insane.

"Neferet" he said in an almost inaudible voice below her cackle. Her head snapped back at once, wide eyed she glowered at him as if he had interupted an intimate moment between her and the Darkness. Shoulders slumped and wings splayed, he continued. "Neferet" he had to choose his words carefully, he wasn't even sure of what he was going to say. "I fear that if I kill Zoey Redbird, then-"he gritted his teeth against the pain, and wondered whether to bear his thoughts to Neferet. He continued. "If I destroy Nyx's favourite daughter, then i suspect that she will never forgive me." He finished and his words, mixed with his pain, forced tears from his eyes.

Neferet placed her hand softly on his cheek, stroking down the line of his jaw, she spoke softly, but with so much menace, "Love, Nyx will never forgive you. She is forgotten. Now is the time for you and I to rule side by side in this world. Complete your task, and your chains will be removed, Zoey need mean nothing to us."

Kalona nodded, and let his head rest in her hand letting out a sigh. She whipped it away, and with a flick of her wrist the chains tightened all over his body. Blinding pain, white hot, seared through him, he doubled over and could distantly hear his own cry, through it all he saw a figure appear in the doorway. Hands fisted and body rolled into a ball of pain he cried out. Neferet sniffed the air. "For Darkness's sake!" she said as she whipped round to face the hallway. the figure spoke, a threatening hiss, Neferet retorted.

Through blurred vision, Kalona recognised the figure. Through the pain he managed a gurgling rasp. He called out. "Son?" . He saw black wings flex. And then darkness crashed over him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rephaim **

Rephaim stood by the fountain in which he'd just seen his and Stevie- Rea's reflection, only it had depicted him as a human – Native American like his mother. Stevie Rae had called him pretty, they had embraced. And now he was watching her leave. It took every ounce of his being not to call her back to him so that he could hold her again and never let her go, it took a strain of every muscle in his body not to go chasing after her, to fly down and scoop her up in his arms. He didn't do those things he stayed rooted to the spot, like a cold stone statue by the fountain, with a stone heart. He feared that if he moved even one inch then all of his restraint would be lost and he would be chasing, running, flying after his Red One in an instant. "I must go to my father" he thought aloud. Eyes closed against the night, as if yellow eyes in the dark would see him and tutt against his disloyalty. His father had returned, he had been outside of his body, on a mission to separate A-ya's reincarnate from her body. He had killed her consort. He had shattered her soul. This had distressed Stevie Rae. 'No!' he thought, why must his thoughts always trace back to her? This needed to stop if he was going to prepare for battle alongside his father. He interrupted his own thought. 'Battle?' The word seemed strange in his head, as if he hadn't used it in centuries. He had though; he had been fighting the red one and her allies' mere weeks ago. '_Fighting the red one_?' he felt sick. Had he really been one of the threats to Stevie Rae's life that he would give his own life to protect her against now? He had fought darkness for her. But during the battle at the House of Night he had only been following his father's orders. Anger flashed through him. "And what will my orders be this time?" he roared into the night. He and Stevie Rae could never be together, they were on opposing sides, he had told her this moments ago. What he felt in his heart need not affect his strategies for helping his father. What he felt in his heart need not matter at all!

_It did to Stevie Rae. _

With a cry he pushed the thought from his mind. He kicked the ground angrily and launched into the sky. He headed to Italy, to find his father.

When he arrived at the castle of Capri he sensed not all was well with his father. he stalked the halls and with a jolt he heard th sound of his father's agonising cry and then Neferet's disturbing cackle. He sped silently though the mazelike hallways like an assassin and came to stand at the entrance of a small dark room. Shocked by what he saw inside he let out a gasp. Neferet whipped round to glare at him, and he saw his father, writhing on the floor, covered in Darkness's chains. Kalona looked up through bloodshot eyes and in a voice that was thick with blood and spit he rasped "son?"

Then he passed out. "What isss thisss?" Rephaim hissed at Neferet.

She sighed, "are you going to be difficult about this Rephaim?"

He arched his wings – an innate reflex to make himself look as large and menacing as possible. "Tsi Sssiglii assssist my father!"

He didn't even sound human!

Neferet sneered. "I hadn't expected a mangy bird boy to have many manners anyway"

Rephaim hissed loudly at her, demanding an explanation for the crumpled immortal on the floor.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me" she said, with eyes that flickered scarlet. He stepped back when he saw the darkness pooling in her eyes. Suddenly she was speaking in a voice that was so filled with evil that it filled the room and burst into Rephaim head. She addressed Darkness. "Take form" she roared. "And for your Queen, the Tsi Sgili, I ask that you do my bidding, take Rephaim and bind him in the chains as you have bound his father". She hurled darkness at him and he gasped in horror as he recognised the dark sticky tendrils that had cut and sliced into Stevie Rae when she had accidentally summoned the white bull. "Father!" he called out in vein. The tendrils clamped down on his limps. Lashing out only caused more cuts. The pain could not compare to that which came directly from Darkness itself, but it was horrifying. The sickening, scarring memory returned to him. He hissed and roared, sounding the least bit human, he was a trapped animal, wild eyed and scared. "Rephaim, my son, please don't struggle against darkness, embrace it" said Neferet softly. She cocked her head to one side as Rephaim fell to the ground, "unless you have a reason not to?"

The look in her eyes was all too knowing. Rephaim couldn't hold her gaze, he felt as though she was boring into his soul as she glared at him. Instead his eyes found the floor, he tried to resist the cutting, slicing, dizzying tendrils, but they whipped up to his head and the pain was too much to bear. He blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own anything to do with house of night please read and review! There will be some zoey and stark coming up in the next chapter also many hot warriors!

**Stevie Rae**

Stevie Rae reached the house of night to find Lenobia waiting at the gates for her. She wiped her eyes quickly because she only just realised she had been crying. Dang I hope she doesn't notice my piggy crying eyes.

"Stevie Rae!" Lenobia called when she saw her. "im so glad you're back, Erik and myself were just about to go looking for you!"

Thank goddess they hadn't hen! Thought Stevie Rae, she imagined their faces if they had caught her and Rephaim together, she shuddered.

"Its cold out isn't it" said Lenobia, mistaking her shudder for a shiver.

"Yeah, hey sorry I was late back I was err" she was about to blab some hastily sketched excuses, but Lenobia interrupted her.

"I rang you! Did you get the call?" she said.

"I know I got the voicemail –" began Stevie Rae.

"I rang again about Zoey" said Lenobia with a wide, warm smile on her face.

"Did you? Said Stevie Rae, she hadn't heard the tone or felt the vibrations while she had been walking back from the depot. She checked the pockets of her ropers – empty. The chest pockets of her shirt, "Dang I must of left my phone at the Gil-" she kicked herself. How could she have come so close to telling Lenobia about Rephaim's hiding place?

"I know about Zoey though" she said, trying to breeze over her slip up. "I felt it! Her and stark are back right?" she couldn't stop a huge smile spreading across her face as she said it, even when she felt so troubled.

"Yes Stevie Rae" said Lenobia throwing her arms around her who hugged her back, "its truly remarkable!"

Stevie Rae felt tears leak from her eyes, and a sob escaped her lips. Lenobia pulled away and said "it has been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us hasn't it!" still with a cheery smile on her face.

"Happy tears" Stevie Rae ensured her with a thumbs up and a weak smile. "Nyx wouldn't make Z so dang indestructible if it weren't for any good cause, at least we know we're on the right side" crap! She thought, why did I just say that?

Lenobia laughed but her eyes betrayed confusion. "Of course we're on the right side. Kalona and Neferet are forces for evil, Neferet turned her back on Nyx, and we will never forget this. And Zoey is a type of vampire we have never seen before, and who shall certainly never be forgotten."

"I know that." Said Stevie Rae. "Im gonna go up to see Kramisha quickly, I'll come see you and Erik later on" she began a brisk walk up the grounds, Lenobia called after her "please do, we have much to discuss!"

Stevie Rae nodded without turning round; she didn't want Lenobia to the tears that streaked her face. She was incredibly happy that Zoey and Stark had made it back alive. But her tears were still sad ones, she felt like an emo kid. Eesh, she thought. Even so, she cried all the way to her room, for Rephaim.

She hoped everyone had gone off to lesson by the time she got to the dorm.

"Stevie Rae!" Kramisha said, leaping off the sofa toward her. "I heard about Dallas, you okay girl?"

Oh crap. How many people already knew about Dallas, and what he might've said? "Yeah im holding up" lied Stevie Rae. "Momma always said you've gotta pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start again." With a pang she remembered saying the same thing to Rephaim.

"I heard he changed, embraced darkness, and kicked you outta the car" said Kramisha.

"Yeah something like that" sniffed Stevie Rae.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with that other guy would it?" said Kramisha looking concerned.

Stevie Rae suddenly felt so happy that Kramisha was there, and that she was (partly) in on her secret.

"ohh Kramisha it was awful" she paused, she couldn't say that her 'guy' had walked in on her and Dallas doing the nasty in the depot tunnels because it was only the vampires and red fledgling that knew about them, and she had already told her he was neither. Kramisha had assumed that he was human, but it was only a matter of time before Dallas's word got round and Aphrodite told everyone about her vision. Aphros' words echoed in her head, 'biggest baddy of all raven mockers'.

"I don't matter how bad you hurt Dallas, you didn't deserve to get kicked out of the fricking car!" said Kramisha with her hand on her hip. "No Kramisha, I did deserve it. He the one who didn't deserve to be hurt, he was so sweet," with another sniff she remembered how nice he had been, even with his struggle with darkness, a struggle which she had caused him to lose.

Kramisha made a sucking sound "girl, you can't blame youself for being such hot stuff that boys end up fighting over you, that their business"

Stevie actually laughed at that. Kramisha talking about Rephaim like he were just a typical guy with a man ego like Erik was pretty darn funny!

"How things with Mr .Mystery then?" Kramisha asked.

"I guess we could work it out" she said, although it was about as likely as a cat falling on it butt.

Kramisha smiled "well, anyhow, news from Italy is; Zoey's alive, and when they come back, they're bring hotties!"

Stevie Rae's eyes widened.

"Yeah, apparently the high council doesn't think its sake for such an 'extraordinary party of fledglings' to be left at the house of night with only one son of Erebus warrior to protect us all, so they've got some of the best flying back with them, make sure you're here when they arrive, otherwise they'll be none left for ya!"

"Wow, im looking forward to some hotness being restored!" said Stevie Rae.

"Me too! Anyways I gotta go im late for vampire sociology 101 as a red fledgling! See ya" said Kramisha, and with that she left the room.

Stevie Rae headed off to the bathroom for a shower. She flicked the light switch in her room, but nothing happened. Ahh dang, the electricity must be out.

She went to the bathroom and looked into the mirror, there was dirt on her face, she had no make up on, and her hair needed washing. Urgh! She thought, and Rephaim said I was pretty, must've been being nice. Being nice? Being good, was he really gonna go fight for evil now with his daddy?

She sighed and pushed the thought from her mind. Removing her clothes she stepped into the shower, allowing the warm water to blend with her tears and wash slowly them away. For an instant she thought that the water had suddenly become to hot. It scolded her skin. But then the feeling came, emotions that weren't her own. Confusion, anger, fear. She felt Rephaim's pain and recognised the sickening pain of darkness's tendrils snaking out at her. She tried to focus. "Its not happening to me, its happening to Rephaim" she told herself. She cried out in pain nevertheless, why is this dang imprint so strong! She thought in the midst of confusion and fear. Pain blasted through her head and she fought to hold onto consciousness. She cried out, words that burst through her lips, "take form, do my bidding!" she felt more words erupt from her but she could not make sense of them, ohh crap! And then she too, passed out.

She woke up with no idea how long it had been since that weird imprint thing. Cold water was pouring down on her, making her ache wherever it hit. She got up and grabbed a towel; she was shaking, with cold, and because of what had just happened. She went to open the bathroom door, but it jammed. The bathroom light flickered and dimmed. Ah crap, she thought. She shoved the door open, making sure she kept the towel around her; she had the strangest feeling that she shouldn't let it go, she didn't feel alone. The door finally let up and she fell into a dark room. The flicked the switch pointlessly. She ran over to the lamp on her bedside and tried to turn it on, she heard something, clank. She whipped round to see the curtains swish at her window. Zoey's perfume bottle on the chest of drawers below the window had been knocked over. Stevie Rae breathed hard, she was scared. The stereo suddenly turned on and played fuzzy white noise on the radio full blast, she almost screamed but she hastily switched it off. The lights suddenly came on, blindingly bright. And Stevie Rae gasped as she saw written on the wall, in unmistakably familiar handwriting; 'Take form, do my bidding. Yes. I know everything."

Ah dang!


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews **** I hope its alright, im not sure how its going, please review!**

**Zoey**

_No daughter, it's not all over. It's just the beginning…_

The words flitted through my head with a purplish tinge, I knew no one else had heard them, it felt like Nyx had sent me that special message exclusively and I felt two things: 1. totally loved by my goddess and my friends and mega happy that I was no longer gross and dead. And 2. Slightly irritated that Nyx was laughing at my despair! Well not laughing, but she didn't seem worried about the plight that me and my gang now faced. I instantly sent a silent prayer up to Nyx. _Sorry, sorry Nyx, your guidance is what leads us through the fight against darkness. Please continue to guide us. _

"Zoey Redbird, high priestess of Nyx, we are all pleased to make your acquaintance" said a voice.

I jumped and looked wildly around me for the source. Everyone was staring at me wide eyed. Where the hell was I? I was surrounded by a bunch of rugged men dressed like Russell Crowe in Gladiator!

"Oh goddess! Being in the otherworld must've made her lose her mind!" said another voice, this time one that I recognised. I searched for Aphrodite and saw her standing with her hand over her mouth.

"Actually Aphrodite, I'm just wondering why all the men are wearing skirts!" I said defiantly. I shifted, kinda embarrassed and turned to the rugged man closest to me, "sorry, but you know." I said quietly. Aphrodite laughed and to my surprise she ran to me and actually hugged me. Aphrodite being nice? Surely ive come back to the wrong place, I thought.

When she pulled away and I saw her face, she was crying, real tears, but her eyes were bloodshot; I knew Nyx was right; this was definitely only the beginning.

"Your tattoos are back, your back" she sobbed.

Somehow I had already known that. It was strange, I knew that they'd gone, and that now they'd returned. I stopped though. "Where's Stark, is he back?" I said. I was suddenly frantic, had something gone wrong? What if he hadn't made it back okay?

The voice spoke again and I turned and saw the most beautifully powerful woman I think I will ever see. Not powered by darkness or evil as Neferet was. She reminded me of Nyx with it, I could tell tat her power was pure, and derived from natural elements. "Your guardian is safe, priestess."

I didn't know what to say, I really wanted to see stark, but I couldn't just tell her to take me to him. She looked important, I could tell from the two strong looking vampires that flanked her sides, but I didn't have a clue who she was. I played it safe. I said thank you, and then with my head bowed and my fist over my heart I said "merry meet."

It seemed odd that she did the same to me, head bowed and fist over heart she said "merry meet Zoey Redbird, priestess of Nyx. I am Sgiach, Queen of the warriors."

For some reason I found myself saying thank you again. Thank you for saying hello? Thank you for maybe saving my life, I really didn't have a clue what was going on. She nodded wisely as if she understood completely what I was trying to say. I was so relieved.

She stepped out of the way and the two vampires that flanked her sides parted so that I could see a stone table, there was a vampire bent down over it, tending to the guy who lay upon it, bleeding out of a gazillion cuts all over his body. I was beside him in a second. Stark was still pretty dead looking, which had me worried. I looked to Sgiach as if to say, how can I help him? But the worried look on her face had tears spilling over my eyelashes. Aphrodite was suddenly at my side, Darius too, holding her arm. "Is he still in the otherworld?" I cried, I was holding his hand, trying to fell the life inside him, but it was cold, and limp. I hadn't expected anyone to answer me. "Yes." Said Aphrodite. She was holding his other hand, and her eyes were closed. The vampyre who had been cutting him had stepped away as if his job was done and was now standing beside Sgiach. I looked over at them, the way he looked at her, It was sad, but I was immersed with the two of them for a second. With one look from eye she told him everything he wanted to hear. He had done all that he could. And I could see that he was so incredibly relieved that she had approved, even though the two of them were still worried about Stark. It was a tender moment, but I was pulled away by a cry from Aphrodite.

"What the fuck stark!" she said, she pulled away from him. And when she opened her eyes, they were tinged with red even more.

"What is it priestess!" said Sgiach, and she too was beside in an instant. "He's not the same as he was anymore!" said Aphrodite; she looked at stark with fear in her eyes, nursing her hand like he'd burned her. "I don't know what it is, he's on his way back, but he's not the home grown, red vamp warrior stark we used to know!" she said.

Sgiach held her hand out over Starks head, and I swear her hand glowed for a moment. "What is it Sgiach?" I cried. Sgiach smiled at Aphrodite, I could've kicked her, why wasn't she helping stark!

She spoke. "Child, he is a different man indeed. But do not fear him. He returns as a guardian, and their powers may not be harnessed by human hands"

I heard Aphrodite say something along the lines of "just because im human doesn't mean I couldn't whip his ass if I wanted" to Darius. But I was fixed on stark. I bent down and focused on spirit, the element with which my affinity was strongest, I thought about hope and strength and Nyx, and I put all of this into a kiss, which I planted on Starks lips. I whispered into his ear, "Come back to me, my guardian."

I could suddenly feel the heat coming off of his face, I backed away to take in the full view of his whole body. He was glowing, underneath the skin, his muscles rippled and swelled so that he was almost as built at the vampyre that stood beside Sgiach. His cuts, healed to the point where they were only pink lines. And then he opened his eyes. He turned to me and I beamed at him. "Aye, I be returnen furh ma wumman" he said. My face dropped. Sgiach's vampyre chuckled. Is this the joke that stark was referring to in the otherworld, was part of the deal that he was going to have a Scottish accent for the rest of time?

Sgiach looked at her vampyre, who I suspected was her guardian, lovingly. He said "aye the boys got life in 'im yet!"

Oh goddess, all guardians are Scottish aren't they?

Stark laughed out loud and punched me lightly on the arm. "Zo, it kills me that you don't want me anymore now that im a Scottie!" he said playfully. He grimaced slightly and I guessed he was still in pain. I kissed his cheek. "I'll always want you, stupid!" I said. He kissed me on the mouth, and I let him, he pushed against my lips for a deeper and more passionate kiss, but I pulled away. He looked offended. "People" I said gesturing towards the crowd of people around us.

"Gross" said Aphrodite.

Stark made a rude hand gesture at her, and then returned his focus to me. He did his cocky side grin that I love so much, "later then. "He said promiscuously. I smiled. I had a gorgeous guardian, who I loved, and I was alive, why shouldn't I smile?


	5. Chapter 5

**Zoey**

Me and stark arrived at the door to our room and I was about to open the door and step through when he stopped me.

"Z, I did not just travel all the way to the otherworld to get m'lady just so that she could walk everywhere like a commoner!"

"Hey! Everyone else has to walk places, why shouldn't I?" I said putting my hand on the handle of the door.

"Because you're a priestess!" he said. He swept me up on my feet, and I swear it was like he'd never been sliced! He was so strong. "And you're a priestess, with one fine stallion of a guardian, if I may say so myself!" I couldn't help laughing into his neck as I threw my arms around his shoulders. He twirled me around once and then plopped me onto the bed, diving on with me.

"Ah wow, I must admit it is better to be carried to bed than to walk!" I said. Stark laughed and crawled up the bed so that he was level with me.

"Yeah, but nothing compares to having you back" he said quietly.

I kissed him. I wanted it to be a kiss that said a million thank yous for saving my life and for being such a great warrior, for being totally hot and cute. He kissed me back with even more passion as if to say 'no problem'. I laughed against his lips at my internal babble. He murmured against mine, "Ahh, I love you so much zoey" and I could feel his smile. All I wanted was to pull him closer. I kissed his lips and his neck and he did the same. He pulled away for a moment but only to lift off his shirt and then he was at my lips again. He licked a line down my neck tenderly which tingled. And then he bit me. "Stark!" I yelled. He didn't stop though. I tried to push him off, but then I stopped because all I feel was pure exhilaration, my blood and his mixing together, a gasp escaped my lips, and I pushed his head further into my neck. He grunted something, but I couldn't hear, and I didn't care! I just wanted this to last forever. Suddenly I could feel a white hot tingling sensation.

"wow." Said stark, finally detaching himself from my neck.

"Help me get this off" I said tugging at my sweater. He lifted it over my head carefully, but he didn't try to kiss me again, he looked over me. I didn't feel weird about sitting here having him look at me, hell; he'd seen me naked before!

"Wow", he said again, he reached out and traced the tattoo over my heart that I had felt appear just moments ago. I looked down and saw the outline of arrows, the same as Stark's, and I gasped as even in the low light of the room I could see that it was red.

"I guess this means your mine" I said.

"I think it means, your mine actually" said stark with a side smile.

I was about to kiss him again when I felt my phone buzzing. i rummaged in the pockets of my sweater for it and flicked it open. "Hello?" I said.

"Is this zoey?" said a voice that I thought I recognised.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Is this priestess Zoey Redbird!" the voice spat into the phone.

"Look you called me, so the least you could do is tell me who you are" I said, trying to reason with him.

"No!" the voice practically screamed.

Stark shot me a questioning look from over by the bathroom where he had wandered. I shrugged my shoulders at him.

"Okay yes it's zoey, anything nice you'd like to tell me" I said.

"Nice? Nice? No!" said the voice. "Look listen, your best friend, you've got to –you gotta, you can't… she's bad news!" he said, sounding worryingly agitated.

"Do you mean Stevie – Rae" I asked, feeling a chill go down my spine.

"Yes! Her, that…That… Whore!"

"Hey! Don't you dare speak about my BFF like that! Who the hell are you anyway?"

"You could say I'm someone who was close to her once before as well, you wouldn't be if you knew what I knew!"

"And what the hell do you know huh?" I asked.

Stark came over to sit with me again and gestured to take the phone from me. I gave it to him.

"Who is this?" he asked. He put it on speaker so that I could hear.

"Is that you Stark?" said the voice, sounding a lot less crazy.

"Yeah it is, and you'd better listen to me now, or I swear to Nyx that I will come and hunt you."

It sent a chill down my spine to hear Stark be so violent.

"Back off away from Zoey, and Stevie Rae. Stop calling and making up shit. Get yourself a life, and stop messing with other people's. I'm telling you now for your own good, or I swear you'll have me, Dallas, Darius and a whole bunch more warriors and guys to answer to."

"Dallas?" Said the voice.

"Yeah, and what dick?" said Stark.

"She hasn't told you anything then" said the voice more to himself than to us.

"No she hasn't, cos there's nothing to tell!"

"Yeah, sorry must've got mixed up" said the voice, suddenly sounding a lot happier. "See ya then." And with that he hung up on us.

I looked at stark. He looked at bewildered as I did. I decided to call Stevie Rae, but her line was busy. Later then, it probably wasn't even important, just some weird. I threw my arms around stark "woo, I love it when my guardian rescues me from prank callers!" I laughed.

"That's what im here for isn't it!" said stark, throwing the two of us back down onto the bed.

**Stevie Rae**

Stevie Rae made was making her way to sociology 101, when in the corridor she saw something that did, and will always shake her to the core. Dallas. He was in the corridor, talking with Lenobia.

It was like she's turned to cold, hard ice, frozen to the spot and if she moved she would shatter all over the floor. What could he be saying? Oh goddess. He was telling her about Rephaim. She was sure of it. She could go underground. Fight the battle for good in solitude, secretly helping her friends even if they thought she was allied with 'the biggest baddie of all raven mockers'. They might try to hunt her down, but she could cover her tracks easily with her affinity for earth. Tears almost leaked from her eyes as she imagined having all of her friends turn against her. Almost. She was too cold; they would've just turned to ice.

Lenobia had had her back to her the entire time and now, like a nightmare, in slow motion, she turned round to face Stevie Rae.

She waved and smiled.

"Grandma's spatula" gasped Stevie Rae.

Lenobia came to walk over. "Hey Stevie Rae! Look who just turned up!" she pointed at Dallas, who smiled awkwardly. "He told me he was really sorry about kicking you out of the car, but he was just terribly confused! I hope you can both make it up. Im gonna go find Erik, I'll catch up with the two of you later when the other come back" she nodded and smiled and hurried off down the corridor.

Dallas watched her leave and smiled at her as she turned a corner, and then his head snapped back to face Stevie Rea. She saw the flare of Scarlet in his eyes.

"Listen up." He said maliciously. Stevie Rae didn't know what else to do but nod.

"You're a disgusting excuse for a priestess. I can't stand to be around you, but I wanna be at the house of night, I didn't think I could be once you'd told everyone about me. But it turns out you haven't. I figured I work for the other side. Call me the inside man if you like. But here's the deal. You breathe a word about me, and everyone will be hunting you outta Tulsa, before you can say ravenmocker"

He laughed menacingly at her confused expression, and turned to walk away.

"Oh and to keep you in line" he pointed at her and she doubled over with the pain of an electric shock.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews guysss, keep em coming !**

**Stevie Rae**

There were her options; Stevie Rae could wait for zoey and the gang to come back from Italy, and tell them right away about everything, Rephaim, how she'd saved him, and all the other stuff that came with it. This probably meant a lot of shouting, and fighting, and not many friends afterward. She couldn't blame them if the ended up hating her forever, heck, they'd probably think she was Darkness's side.

Or… or she could let Dallas stay at the house of night, without breathing a word about him acting like a spy for Darkness. And in return he would keep her secret, she would keep her friends, and she could work out a way to save Rephaim again. If he needed saving at all…

Dallas had been able to shock her earlier, his affinity for earth was powerful, she knew. But it was no match for hers with the earth. It should've been able to protect her. Hers and Rephaim's imprint was a strong one, she wondered if what happened earlier might have affected her affinity with earth. What _had_ happened earlier?

_Take form, do my bidding_

She remembered the words had burst from her as she had cried with the pain of darkness. She had been sure that someone had been attacking Rephaim at first. But the words echoed in her mind again… _do my bidding_. Oh goddess thought Stevie Rae. Rephaim must be controlling the darkness. She knew that he could draw power from darkness, this what she must've felt, lashing out at her, and now he could command it.

Her heart sunk down into her stomach, and she thought she would choke the tears that she refused to let fall. Why couldn't anything ever just be easy? She wasn't over Dallas. She really had liked him, a lot. And she couldn't just let him turn his back on everything good, even now. Stark had managed to find the light again, and he had been a real big nasty. Rephaim was a different matter; he had been made of everything dark, and then something had happened which made him see the light. He was the complete opposite of Dallas and stark. But now he'd chosen darkness again, and Stevie had no clue what to do.

"Hey Stevie Rae, is that you?"

She whipped round to see Erik, standing there looking hot with his hands in his pockets, but weirdly shy.

"Oh hey Erik" she said, although her words had sounded harsher than she'd wanted, she was trying to hide the shaking in her voice.

Erik looked at her weirdly for a minute, like he didn't know what he was going to say. Erik stuck for words! The world was actually totally upside down.

"Uh, how are you?" he said, blinking a few times like someone had just snapped their fingers in his face.

"I'm okay. I think you should ask yourself that same question though, what's up?"

"Nothing. Nothing's up. Why, does it look like it is, cos its not. Can't a guy just ask a girl how they are these days? Jeez." He looked pissed off now, and a little confused. Stevie Rae put her hand on his arm.

"Erik! That's all im doing too remember, im just asking you how you are."

Without looking at her he nodded. "Okay. Alright. I'm alright. I was just asking you know, cos of what happened with Dallas. That was harsh what he did. And pretty inconsiderate too, so close to sunrise, he could've killed you!"

He turned to face her, just in time to see her eyes well up slightly, and then back down. She smiled at him sadly. "Yeah, I wasn't entirely innocent either though." She said. She couldn't help looking away from him. She hated lying to everyone about this. He turned her head softly so that she faced him again. And his glistening blue eyes looked right into hers "Don't do that to yourself, Stevie Rae, I can't imagine anything you could've done that made you deserve that, everything about you is… its pure goodness. He was stupid for doing that to you. I would never –"

He stopped like something had caught his throat and he dropped his hand away from her face.

"Lenobia's looking for you" said Stevie Rae.

"Oh right," said Erik clearing his throat. "Do you know where she is?"

"uhh, she went that way, so im guessing she's headed for the staff room"

"oh right, okay I'll see you later then, I can tell the teachers to let you off lesson if you don't feel up to it?"

"No, that's okay, thanks anyway though Erik"

"Okay, well I'll see you then" he said, he gave her a nod and then hurried off.

Okay. Weird. It didn't matter that Erik was acting weirder than lizard caught in a drain pipe, what mattered was dealing with Dallas, and Rephaim.

**Erik**

Erik felt like kicking himself. What was he thinking? Stevie had _jus_t broken up with Dallas. She wasn't in any position to... To, Erik didn't even know what. He'd seen her in that corridor and before he knew it he was face to face with her without knowing why. When he found out about Dallas last night, the first thing he'd wanted to do was drive round and check Stevie Rae was okay, but she'd said on the phone that she was fine, and he took that to mean she wanted to be alone. So he let her have her time. Next he would've kicked Dallas's ass. But no one had known where he'd been. He'd heard word around the house of night that Dallas had turned up for lesson with the other red fledglings that had chosen good. But Stevie Rae had said that he'd chosen Darkness and that's what caused him to change. It had shocked him, just how worried he'd been about Stevie Rae, and how angry he'd been At Dallas. He should've been able to see the whole thing like a third party observer, hearing both his, and her side of the story. But he just couldn't! And the thing that had surprised him the most was the feeling he got in his stomach when he'd heard they'd broken up. He'd felt… hope?

He arrived at the staff room without even knowing how he'd got there. He entered and saw Lenobia on one side of the room with dragon, and the other teachers at the other side.

"Erik! Finally, I've been looking for you all morning!"

"Yeah, sorry I got a little side tracked, ive been marking papers all morning" said Erik, pushing a hand though his thick black hair.

"Yes. It's strange that everything must carry on as normal in the midst of everything" said Lenobia, casting a dark look at the other teachers, who barely noticed what she'd said.

"So what's got to happen now?" said Erik, ignoring the others, coming to standing closer to Lenobia.

She turned her back on the others as if what they were saying was a secret, "as you know Zoey and Stark have made it back alive, it is truly remarkable. From what I can bather from my conversation with Darius on the phone they haven't questioned them too much and they're currently resting. Aphrodite has had another vision, and it frightens me. Im not entirely what has happened to Kalona. although Neferet has called another meeting at the high council and she says that he will not be present. I fear she will try to blame us for whatever may have happened to him. However, the high council will surely have greater faith in us now after Zoey and Stark's triumph."

"I still can't believe they made it back. What with everyone saying how difficult it would be, I know Zoey's amazing, but it just seemed impossible."

"Indeed. I think that when they return, we may need to call her mother, I don't feel comfortable having her here, so… so disconnected from her mother, not when she faces such perils"

Erik sensed that Lenobia wanted to say more so he spoke up, "we need to make more phone calls than that" He said.

Lenobia gave him a sad look. "Yes. Heaths parents have already been informed of his death as you know. It pained me greatly to have to be the one to tell them. But we will have to make further arrangements with them"

Erik looked at his feet. He hadn't known what to feel when he'd heard about heath. He had never liked him. But those were for reasons that could never have mattered in a life and death situation. Heath had been good. And he had cared about Zoey enough to endanger his life for her. He had deserved to live a long happy life. Erik couldn't help thinking that he should've been the one to fly to Italy with Zoey, he was a full grown vampyre, and humans died so easily! Deep in his stomach he could feel something else, a pale resentment toward Zoey, if only she'd have broken it off with Heath when all this started, she might've saved his life.

"How do you think zoey will cope at the funeral?" he asked.

"She's made it through the hardest part. She needs to be strong, for his family's sake."

Erik nodded solemnly.

"As soon as they return, we must learn the full contents of Aphrodite's vision, and we can work out a way to stop it happening. As for now, you look like you need some rest" Lenobia said looking at him watchfully.

"Yeah, I'll try" Erik smiled at her. "Ive got more papers to get one with for now though." He nodded her goodbye and then left the staff room. Truth was, he hadn't been marking papers. He wasn't going to mark papers. He refused to carry on as though everything was normal when it wasn't! Everything was broken and damaged, and nothing had been able to heal when everyone was in so much pain and torment. What was the use in lessons? Practical planning was more useful to the students of the house of night than pathetic theory that they read from books, now surely!

He walked up a long stone pathway that lead to outside. It used to be peaceful to be in the grounds of the house of night, now all could think of was the deaths and the battles that had taken place here. He wanted to vent his anger, scream, and hit something. Nothing was quite frustrating him more so though, than his confusion. He thought he'd loved Zoey_. I did_.

But he couldn't help seeing the sacrifices that all these guys had made for her, and for what, to be thrown away into the night, as guy number 2, 3 4? Heath was dead. Stark was sliced, Hell! Loren's death no doubt had something to do with her!

There was another girl on his mind now. A girl who never made guys do dumb stuff like that for her, pure of heart and mind and, soul. Pure faced, and with bright smile and eyes. And Dallas threw her away in the night! _Idiot! _

Erik looked out across the grounds and his eyes wandered to a figure that leant against a tree, he thought he could see a faint green glow around it. He moved closer, quietly and stealth like. But he wasn't hunting, he was watching, just watching. In the dim glow of the moonlight, he could make out the soft blonde curls. And he thought he could hear, an even softer voice, she sounded like she was singing, but he knew she wasn't, she was praying. She was supposed to be in lesson! He figured that she must've felt the same about everything as her did. The green glow around her faltered and dimmed. And her arms fell limp at her sides, he heard her let out a gruff sigh. It warmed him, she seemed annoyed at herself, that whatever she was doing hadn't worked, she'd been trying to help, and she was always trying to help.

He wanted to go to her. But he stood in the shadows, somehow lost for what to say to her. He saw another figure approaching her, he looked fairly tall, and he could make out the light scruffy hair on his head. It was Dallas. He felt, a pang in his stomach as he thought of the two of them making up. He didn't want to watch if they were going to kiss and whatever, but he couldn't tear himself away.

"Hey Slut." said Dallas with a sneer.

Erik balled his fists. Stevie Rae looked up.

"Dallas. Im not going to cover for you, you can tell everyone. You can't use me like that; I won't let anyone use me like that. Especially you, when I know the choice you've made." She said.

"What. So you're saying you don't care. You don't care if all your friends hate you, you don't care that they'll throw you out in the dirt, and they won't even look back, because they'll know how much of an evil whore you are?" Dallas said, standing a few feet away from her.

"I don't care. If it keeps them safe from you, then I don't care." She said, although Erik could see her tensing up with anger.

Dallas shook his head. "No. I know you Stevie Rae; nothing would hurt you more than losing your precious friends"

"Go ahead Dallas, tell them! And see what happens! More likely they'll call you a liar, look at you, you've Changed, and they know it was because of the Darkness!"

Dallas marched toward her "No! They won't call me a liar! Stark embraced Darkness, and look at the way everyone trusts him!"

"Try it Dallas!" yelled Stevie Rae.

"No. I'm not going to tell them anything. Not yet. Ive got something against you now, which means you can, no, will, do anything I tell you to." said Dallas menacingly. Erik saw Stevie Rae's curls bouncing around her as she shook her head in refusal. Dallas stepped closer so that his face was only inches away from hers, and Erik thought he might try to kiss her and he had to strain his ears to hear what he said. In an ominous whisper he said "You don't have the guts to tell them yourself…" then he stepped around her, Stevie Rae seemed to frightened to move, Dallas stood behind her and whispered into her ear. "And girl, you have no idea how powerful I am."

Erik saw something, bright forming in his hands which he raised as if he were going to stroke Stevie Rae's neck. The moment his glowing hands touched her skin, she let out a cry and her legs gave way. Erik sprang forward - Going for Dallas who looked up and bolted off into the night. Then he crouched down beside Stevie Rae who had her hand on her neck. He put his hands on her face and asked "Stevie Rae? Are you okay?"

She looked at him wide eyed. "Erik! What are you doing here?" she croaked. Her voice sounded weak and it only made Erik more worried about her.

"Im going to find him don't worry." He said. He didn't know what to do, to help. It wasn't his place, but hell, no one was going to get away with hurting Stevie Rae like that! He could feel himself puffing out, but he couldn't help it. He was ready for a fight.

"Jeez Louise Erik, calm down. Stop puffing up like a dang blow fish!"

"Are you hurt?" he asked her, looking into her eyes.

"I'm fine! I'd like to get up if that's okay with you?" she said letting out a huff as she rose to her feet. Erik took his hands off of her face and let them rest awkwardly at his sides.

"Im sorry." he said, looking away from her. What was he thinking; she wasn't the type of girl who needed help. She was Stevie Rae, strong and independent.

"Well you don't need to apologise. Im actually glad you came running out like that. Although im kinda wondering why you were even there."

Erik didn't want to answer that. Why had he been there? Spying? Watching?

"What were you doing there!" he asked her. "You're supposed to be in class"

"Yeah well I didn't feel like it" said Stevie Rae.

Erik couldn't help himself. Yes she was strong, but right now she was shaken and probably scared. He took her chin in his finger tips so that she'd look up at him. He didn't know what to say, so he just smiled at her, he hoped it was dazzling, but he couldn't be sure from her face which looked confused, but curious. Her mouth was slightly parted, and the urge to kiss her was too strong. He placed his lips on hers softly and she returned it with just as much tenderness.


End file.
